Stackable, interlocking carrying cases for making a modular desk having a removable desk top

ABSTRACT

Stackable and interlocking carrying cases in which to transport rack mounted electronics of the kind having particular application at a mobile tactical command and control center. A plurality of carrying cases are stacked one above the other to form columns suitable for transport on a pallet and for making a modular desk or table to be located in a tent or similar enclosure for use by command and control center personnel. Each carrying case has a pair of detachable side panels that are adapted to be connected side-by-side one another to form a substantially flat working surface for use as a removable top to extend across a pair of columns of carrying cases. Each of the pair of detachable side panels carries a pair of support bars that are rotatable so as to extend between and thereby connect the side panels together so as to be capable of holding the usual office equipment and supplies. By virtue of the detachable side panels, a modular desk or table can be quickly and easily assembled in the field entirely from the plurality of carrying cases.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to stackable and interlocking carrying cases in which to transport rack mounted electronics. The carrying cases are adapted to be stacked one above the other to facilitate shipment and storage and to build a modular desk or table having a removable top so as to conveniently fit within a tent at a mobile tactical command and control center that is located in the field.

2. Background Art

It is often desirable to carry fragile computers as well as related electrical hardware having communications, networking, data storage, and the like, applications in shock resistant portable cases so that such equipment can be transported without being susceptible to damage that may otherwise be caused by shock and similar mechanical forces to be encountered during transit. For example, the military may wish to ship listening equipment to a hostile environment to monitor and/or control a military exercise. By way of another example, a government agency may need sensitive equipment at a remote or inhospitable environment so that tests can be conducted and recorded.

However, it is undesirable to have to store bulky shipping containers at a mobile command and control station that must be capable of rapid deployment in the field. That is to say, before and after the typical shipping container has been emptied, such container is known to consume valuable space within a small enclosure (e.g. a tent) in which command and control personal and their furnishings are based. Consequently, such a grouping of shipping containers is likely to create tight working conditions within a small enclosure or require that larger and more expensive enclosures be available within which to house the personnel and the equipment required to operate a remote command and control center.

One solution to the problem of having to accommodate bulky shipping containers where operating space is at a premium is described in my copending patent application Ser. No. 10/797,752 filed Mar. 9, 2004 and entitled STACKABLE AND INTERLOCKING CARRYING CASES FOR A MOBILE TACTICLE COMMAND AND CONTROL CENTER. Disclosed therein are carrying cases that are capable of transporting rack mounted electronics as well as building a modular desk having a pull-out desk top for use by command and control personnel in the field.

The present invention represents an improvement to the carrying cases that have been described in my earlier filed copending application by enabling a modular desk or table to be built entirely from the carrying cases in which the rack mounted electronics are transported by virtue of at least some of the cases having dual use, detachable side panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Stackable and interlocking carrying cases are disclosed that are capable of being used for transporting rack mounted electronics and for building a modular desk or table within a small enclosure, such as a tent, at a mobile tactical command and control center in the field. Each carrying case has a top, bottom, front, back and a pair of dual use, detachable side panels. Each carrying case also includes a pair of wheels and one or more handles by which the case can be either carried or pulled over a rolling surface. The bodies of the carrying cases are provided with interlocking feet and complementary recesses which enable the cases to be stacked one above the other to form a column that is suitable for shipment on a pallet and for building a modular desk or table. In the later application, the carrying cases are arranged to form a pair of columns that are spaced from one another to accommodate a removable top therebetween.

According to the present improvement, the pair of dual use side panels are detachably connected to the body of at least one carrying case to protect the rack mounted electronics being transported therein. When it is desirable to build a modular desk or table in the field, the side panels are detached from the carrying case to be connected side-by-side one another to form the removable top. More particularly, a support bar is pivotally attached to each side panel. When the side panels are connected to the carrying case, the support bars extend longitudinally therealong. When the side panels are detached from the carrying case to form the removable top, the support bars are rotated through an arc of 90 degrees so as to extend laterally thereacross.

The side panels are then laid side-by-side one another so that the support bar that is pivotally attached to one side panel is pushed through a guide channel of the second side panel, and the support bar that is pivotally attached to the second side panel is pushed through a guide channel of the first side panel. The free ends of each support bar that is pivotally attached to one side panel is now attached to the adjacent side panel to establish a reliable brace for holding the side panels together. The combination first and second side panels is positioned between the pair of columns of carrying cases to form the removable top of the modular desk or table for supporting the same furnishings and equipment that would typically sit atop a conventional office desk.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a stackable and interlocking carrying case for transporting rack mounted electronics and having a pair of dual use, detachable side panels that are capable of forming a removable top for a modular desk of the kind having particular application at a mobile tactical command and control center;

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show the pair of dual use side panels detached from the carrying case of FIG. 1 and laid side-by-side one another;

FIGS. 3-6 illustrate the steps by which the pair of dual use side panels of FIGS. 2 a and 2 b are connected together to form a top for a modular desk; and

FIG. 7 shows the modular desk with the interconnected pair of dual use side panels functioning as a removable desk top thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a rugged, interlocking carrying case 1 of the type that is adapted to carry rack mounted electronics and be stacked in a column of carrying cases one above the other to form modular furniture (e.g., such as the desk 60 shown in FIG. 7) for use at a remote and/or hostile environment as part of a mobile tactical command and control center. By virtue of the foregoing, military personnel, and the like, will have ready access to a variety of rack mounted electronics for the purpose of communication, networking, data storage, logistics, etc. That is, and as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the interlocking stackable carrying case 1 of FIG. 1 can be interconnected with other interlocking carrying cases to be quickly and easily assembled and broken down within the confines of the relatively small field command and control center, such as a tent, while providing for the efficient transport and storage of and access to the rack mounted electronics without requiring that the electronics first be removed from the carrying case.

The external features of the stackable carrying case 1 of FIG. 1 are similar to the features of the carrying cases that have been shown and described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,090 and my pending patent application Ser. No. 10/797,752 filed Mar. 9, 2004 which are incorporated herein by reference. Therefore, only a brief description of the features of carrying case 1 will be provided herein. The stackable, interlocking carrying case 1 is preferably manufactured by means of a conventional vacuum forming process from a shock resistant material (e.g., ABS plastic) so as to be capable of safely transporting the rack mounted electronics (represented generally by reference numeral 50 in FIG. 1) within an airplane, helicopter, Jeep, truck, etc. However, the particular rack mounted electronics 50 to be transported within the carrying case 1 forms no part of this invention.

The body of carrying case 1 includes a top 3, bottom 5, front 7 and back 9. A pair of wheels (not shown) are rotatably coupled to the bottom 5, and a pair of locking feet 12 project from the top 3 of carrying case 1. First and second pairs of locking recesses 14 and 16 are molded into the back 9 at opposite ends of carrying case 1. As is best shown in FIG. 7, the pair of wheels 10 and the pair of locking feet 12 from a first carrying case 1-1 are sized and positioned for receipt within respective ones of the first and second pairs of recesses 14 and 16 that are formed in an adjacent carrying case 1-2 that is located below the first carrying case 1-1. Thus, the first and adjacent carrying cases 1-1 and 1-2 are stacked together in interlocking engagement one above the other by which to prevent the first case 1-1 from shifting relative to the adjacent case 1-2 upon which the first case is seated. Accordingly, a series of carrying cases 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3 of FIG. 7 may be efficiently stacked in one or more vertical columns for shipment on a single pallet within the storage area of an airplane, boat or truck.

A pull-out handle 8 is available at the front 7 of carrying case 1. The pull-out handle is slidable along the front 7 of case 1 between retracted and axially extended positions to permit the carrying case 1 to be pulled and rolled from place-to-place. In the event that it is not desirable to use pull-out handle 8 by which to transport the carrying case 1, a supplemental handle 22 is rotatably mounted and recessed within a pocket 24 at the top 3 of the carrying case 1.

As has been explained in my pending patent application Ser. No. 10/797,752, access to the interior of carrying case 1 is gained through side panels 28 and 30. As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the instant application, one or both of the side panels 28 and 30 is detachable from opposite sides of the body of carrying case 1. The opposite side panels 28 and 30 are closed and locked during transport of the rack mounted electronics 50 by means of a set of conventional twist-off clasps 32 that are conveniently located at the interface of side panels 28 and 30 with the front and back 7 and 9 of carrying case 1. By applying a twisting force to rotatable actuating pieces of twist-off clasps 32, slidable locking tabs thereof are uncoupled from corresponding notches 34 that are formed in side panels 28 and 30. At this time, the side panels 28 and 30 can be separated from the carrying case 1 to expose the rack mounted electronics 50 which are retained at the interior thereof. The details of the carrying case 1 for receiving and transporting the rack mounted electronics 50 is also described in my pending patent application Ser. No. 10/797,752.

As earlier indicated, the stackable interlocking carrying case 1 of FIG. 1 can be arranged in a column with other carrying cases to facilitate transport and storage. In this same regard, and as shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of carrying cases 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3 can be arranged in a pair of columns that are disposed adjacent with one another to form a modular desk 60, a similar table, or the like. To complete the modular desk 60, and in accordance with the present improvement, the top 70 of the desk 60 which extends between the pair of adjacent columns is formed when the opposite side panels (designated 28 and 30 in FIG. 1) are detached from a single carrying case (designated 1-1 in FIG. 7) or a single side panel is detached from each of a pair of carrying cases in order to gain access to the rack mounted electronics 50 at the interior thereof.

More particularly, and referring concurrently to FIGS. 2-6 of the drawings, the individual side panels 28 and 30 are shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b after they have been detached from the carrying case 1 of FIG. 1. Each side panel 28 and 30 has a pair of spaced, parallel aligned and longitudinally extending recesses 36 and 38 molded therein. A first rectangular brace or support bar 40 is carried by a first of the side panels 28 of FIG. 2 a along one of the pair of recesses 36 molded therein. A second rectangular brace or support bar 42 is carried along the second side panel 30 of FIG. 2 b at one of the pair of recesses 38 thereof. The support bars 40 and 42 are preferably manufactured from metal so as to resist cracking and possible failure when supporting a load that is placed upon the desk 60 shown in FIG. 7.

A pair of (e.g. metallic) connectors 43 and 45 are affixed to opposite ends of the recess 36 of the first side panel 28 of FIG. 2 a along which the first support bar 40 is initially positioned. One end of the first support bar 40 is pivotally attached to one of the pair of connectors 43 by means of a suitable fastener 46 such that the first support bar 40 is rotatable relative to recess 36. An identical pair of connectors 47 and 49 are affixed to opposite ends of the recess 38 of the second side panel 30 of FIG. 2 b along which the second support bar 42 is initially positioned. One end of the second support bar 42 is pivotally attached to one of the pair of connectors 49 by means of a suitable fastener 52 such that the second support bar 32 is rotatable relative to recess 38. As will be apparent when referring to FIG. 3, it is preferable that the connector 43 to which the first support bar 40 of side panel 28 is pivotally attached and the connector 49 to which the second support bar 42 of side panel 30 is pivotally attached are located at opposite ends of the their respective recesses 36 and 38.

A first hollow guide channel 54 is fixedly connected to the first side panel 28 of FIG. 2 a at one end of the recess 38 thereof. Guide channel 54 and the connector 43 to which the first support bar 40 is pivotally attached lie at opposite ends of their respective recesses 36 and 38. A second hollow guide channel 56 is fixedly connected to the second side panel 30 of FIG. 2 b at one end of recess 36. Guide channel 56 and the connector 49 to which the second support bar 42 is pivotally attached also lie at opposite ends of their respective recesses 36 and 38.

When it is desirable to build the modular desk 60 of FIG. 7 in the field, the side panels 28 and 30 are first removed from one or more of the carrying cases (e.g. designated 1-1 in FIG. 7). The side panels 28 and 30 are then spaced from one another in the side-by-side arrangement shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The first support bar 40 is rotated around its pivotal attachment by fastener 46 to connector 43 so as to move in a clockwise direction away from its recess 36 and extend laterally across side panel 28. Similarly, the second support bar 42 is rotated around its pivotal attachment by fastener 52 to connector 49 so as to move in a clockwise direction away from its recess 38 and extend laterally across side panel 30. Each of the first and second support bars 40 and 42 is rotated through an arc of 90 degrees until both support bars 40 and 42 are positioned in spaced, parallel alignment, as shown. Accordingly, the first support bar 40 carried by the first side panel 28 is now axially aligned for receipt by the guide channel 56 that is affixed to the second side panel 30, and the second support bar 42 carried by the second side panel 30 is axially aligned for receipt by the guide channel 54 that is affixed to the first side panel 28.

As is best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the first and second side panels 28 and 30 are now moved closer together such that the free end of the first support bar 40 of side panel 28 is pushed into and through the guide channel 56 of side panel 30. At the same time, the free end of the second support bar 42 of side panel 30 is pushed into and through the guide channel 54 of side panel 28. FIG. 6 of the drawings illustrates the slidable receipt of the first and second support bars 40 and 42 through their respective axially aligned guide channels 56 and 54.

FIG. 5 of the drawings shows side panels 28 and 30 moved next to one another after the first and second support bars 40 and 42 are pushed outwardly through the axially aligned guide channels 56 and 54. The support bars 40 and 42 extend between side panels 28 and 30, whereby to retain the side panels side-by-side one another. In this regard, it may be appreciated that when the pair of side panels 28 and 30 are held together, as shown, a generally flat working surface is created which is of sufficient size to be used as the top 70 of the modular desk 60 that is illustrated in FIG. 7. In this case, the support bars 40 and 42 form a brace for the desktop 60 so as to be capable of supporting a variety of equipment (e.g. a laptop computer 75) that is important for establishing a command and control center in the field.

Each of the free ends of the support bars 28 and 30 is provided with a pair of holes 62, 63 and 64, 65. When the side panels 28 and 30 are to be removed from or returned to the opposite sides of the carrying case 1 of FIG. 1 such that the support bars 40 and 42 run along their respective recesses 36 and 38 in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, the first support bar 40 of side panel 28 extends from its pivotal attachment at connector 43 at one end of recess 36 to the connector 45 that is located at the opposite end of recess 36. In this same regard, the second support bar 42 of side panel 30 extends from its pivotal attachment at connector 49 at one end of recess 38 to the connector 47 that is located at the opposite end of recess 38. In this position, a first fastener (not shown) is removably inserted through one of the holes 63 that is formed in the free end of the first support bar 40 for receipt by connector 45 to prevent the support bar 40 from rotating relative to the recess 36 across which the first support bar initially extends. A second fastener (also not shown) is removably inserted through one of the holes 65 that is formed in the second support bar 42 for receipt by the connector 47 to prevent the second support bar 42 from rotating relative to the recess across which the second support bar initially extends.

However, when the first and second support bars 40 and 42 of side panels 28 and 30 have been rotated away from their recesses 36 and 38 and fully inserted through their respective guide channels 56 and 54 in the manner shown in FIG. 5 to form the top 70 of the modular desk 60 of FIG. 7, the aforementioned first fastener is now removably inserted through the other hole 62 formed in the free end of the first support bar 40 for receipt by the connector 47 to prevent a separation of the side panels 28 and 30 from one another. The aforementioned second fastener is now removably inserted through the other hole 64 formed in the free end of the second support bar 42 for receipt by the connector 45 to further prevent the separation of the side panels 28 and 30. Accordingly, the side-by-side relationship of the dual use side panels 28 and 30 of this invention can be maintained to enable the side panels to provide a reliable top 70 for building the modular desk 60 in the manner previously described.

The dual use side panels 28 and 30 herein disclosed provide the advantage that the modular desk 60 or a similar table can be build entirely from the carrying cases in and of themselves without any addition or modification thereof. By virtue of the foregoing, the command and control center in which the modular desk 60 is incorporated can be streamlined while providing an efficient and space saving use of the carrying cases. 

1. A carrying case comprising a body including a top, a bottom, a front, a back and a pair of side panels, said pair of side panels adapted to be detached from said body and connected together to form a substantially flat working surface.
 2. The carrying case recited in claim 1, also comprising at least one support bar extending between said pair of side panels to connect said pair of side panels together following the detachment of said pair of side panels from the body of said carrying case.
 3. The carrying case recited in claim 1, also comprising a first support bar carried by a first side panel of said pair of side panels and a second support bar carried by the second side panel of said pair of side panels, said first and second support bars extending between said first and second side panels to connect said first and second side panels together following the detachment of said pair of side panels from the body of said carrying case.
 4. The carrying case recited in claim 3, wherein the first support bar is pivotally connected to the first side panel of said pair of side panels and the second support bar is pivotally connected to the second side panel of said pair of side panels, said first and second support bars being rotatable relative to the respective first and second pair of side panels so as to extend between and connect said first and second side panels together.
 5. The carrying case recited in claim 4, also comprising a guide channel connected to each of the first and second side panels of said pair of side panels, said first support bar being rotatable so as to extend between said first side panel and said second side panel by way of the guide channel connected to said second side panel, and said second support bar being rotated so as to extend between said second side panel and said first side panel by way of the guide channel connected to said first side panel.
 6. The carrying case recited in claim 4, wherein each of said first and second support bars runs longitudinally along the respective first and second side panels of said pair of side panels when said pair of side panels are attached to the body of said carrying case, each of said first and second support bars being rotated so as to run laterally across the respective first and second side panels for connecting said first and second side panels side-by-side one another following the detachment of said pair of side panels from the body of said carrying case.
 7. The carrying case recited in claim 6, wherein each of said first and second support bars has one end pivotally connected to the respective first and second side panels of said pair of side panels and first and second holes formed in the opposite free end thereof, the free end of each of said first and second support bars being respectively connected to said first and second side panels by way of said first hole when said first and second support bars run longitudinally along said first and second side panels, and the free end of each of said first and second support bars being respectively connected to said second and first side panels by way of said second hole when said support bars are rotated so as to run laterally across and extend between said first and second side panels.
 8. The carrying case recited in claim 1, wherein the substantially flat working surface that is formed by the connection together of said pair of side panels is the top of a desk or table.
 9. A plurality of carrying cases to be stacked together to form first and second columns of carrying cases, each of said carrying cases comprising a body including a top, a bottom, a back, a front and a pair of side panels, at least one of said pair of side panels adapted to be detached from the bodies of first and second carrying cases of said plurality of carrying cases and connected together to form a top to extend across said first and second columns of carrying cases.
 10. The plurality of carrying cases recited in claim 9, also comprising at least one support bar extending between the one of said pair of side panels detached from the bodies of the first and second carrying cases of said plurality of carrying cases to connect said side panels together following the detachment of said side panels from said first and second carrying cases. 